Bangladesh’s severe measles outbreak has exposed weaknesses in the country’s overall immunization system, prompting an independent committee of national and international experts to warn of possible outbreaks of diphtheria, whooping cough and polio unless conditions improve rapidly.
Following research conducted in early October, the committee described the measles outbreak as a “warning signal” of deterioration in Bangladesh’s vaccination system. The report said large-scale outbreaks of the diseases would be only a matter of time without emergency action.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data show that the government has struggled to contain the measles outbreak since March this year. More than 1,200 people have died and around 220,000 have been infected, making it the country’s deadliest measles outbreak in decades.
The Health Ministry pledged on Monday to take swift action on measles. Zahid Raihan, Additional Director General for Administration at the DGHS, told AFP that vaccination workers would be recruited as soon as possible as the first step towards implementing the recommendations.
The World Health Organization, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other institutions are supporting the government’s efforts. A 70-member expert team was formed earlier this month to review the country’s immunization programme.
The expert team identified several serious shortcomings, including full immunization coverage of only 82% among children, below the national target of 95%. Nearly 40% of vaccination worker posts are also vacant.
Bangladesh had long been regarded as a successful example of an immunization programme. Since the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) began in 1979, the country had eliminated polio and tetanus, while rubella and hepatitis B had also been brought under control.
Recent declines in vaccination coverage have again placed children at risk from serious infectious diseases. A planned measles vaccination campaign was delayed by the political transition and protests of 2024, while political instability and strikes also disrupted routine childhood vaccinations in 2025.
Authorities have since resumed the vaccination programme, but measles infections continue to rise.
Measles is highly contagious and spreads rapidly through coughing and sneezing. No specific treatment exists for the disease, which can cause complications including brain inflammation and severe respiratory distress. Young children face particularly high risks.
Whooping cough can cause severe illness and death among children. Diphtheria can obstruct the airway and damage the heart and nerves, while polio can cause paralysis among inadequately vaccinated populations.
The expert committee said the ongoing measles outbreak represented not only a crisis involving one disease but also an indication of broader weaknesses in Bangladesh’s immunisation system. The committee warned that failure to urgently fill staffing shortages and strengthen vaccination activities could increase the risk of outbreaks of several other deadly infectious diseases.